


Forever You And I

by grantaireslonelysoul



Category: bare: A Pop Opera - Hartmere/Intrabartolo
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-08-16
Packaged: 2017-12-23 15:59:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/928399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grantaireslonelysoul/pseuds/grantaireslonelysoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eight years after Jason's death, Peter is married...but some things can be hard to let go of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever You And I

            From the moment Peter woke up, he knew.

            He didn’t tell Michael, not when his husband kissed him good morning, or asked what he wanted for breakfast, or took him by the shoulders and asked why he was so down.

            It wasn’t as if Michael didn’t know about Jason. It just was a topic they didn’t discuss much.

            But today, on the eighth anniversary of his death, Peter needed to discuss it.

            “Peter! You’re still in bed?!” Michael cocked his head at him. “We’re supposed to be at my parents in an hour! It’s my mom’s birthday, remember?”

            “Yeah, I’m coming.” Peter faked a smile. “Sorry. I guess I’m just out of it today.”

            “I guess so.” Michael looked concerned.

            Slowly, Peter made his way to the shower, words echoing around in his head.

 

            _I love you, and I’ve loved you from the start, and if you hold that close to you, we’ll never be apart._

            It hadn’t been easy, telling Michael, but the truth had come out eventually. They’d been holding hands and walking around the park when Michael had turned to Peter and said it. So easily. “I love you.”

            Peter had frozen up, remembering the last time someone had said that to him, and Michael noticed within seconds. “Peter, I didn’t mean to scare you. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that before?”

            Sighing, Peter sat down on the grass, under the shade of an evergreen tree, and patted the ground next to him, motioning for Michael to do the same.

            “You know that I went to a Catholic boarding school.”

            “Yes…” Michael looked worried as he nodded his head.

            “Well, I had a roommate there. Jason. We were…he and I…I mean…we were in love.” Peter said, embarrassed.

            Michael seemed concerned at this point, and Peter barreled on. “But we had to keep it a secret. Well…I mean…it was a Catholic school. Most people wouldn’t…approve.”

            Another nod from Michael.

            “But I wanted to tell people. I didn’t feel like I could hide who I was any longer, and I wanted to let the world know. But Jason…didn’t. We had a fight about it and broke up.” Peter swallowed. “He slept with a girl afterwards and got her pregnant.”

            Michael reached out to touch Peter’s arm. “Peter, I’m so sorry that he-“

            Peter laughed bitterly. “If only that was the worst of it. When I found out, I got so angry that when he asked me to take him back, I told him no.”

            Peter’s eyes were welling up, but he continued anyway. “So he purposely overdosed on drugs. He died right before graduation.”

            Michael’s eyes widened. “Peter…”

            Peter shrugged him off, giving his boyfriend a watery smile. “And I haven’t dated anyone else since. Until now.”  He took a shaky breath. “And I guess it’s just…going to be hard.”

            Michael took his hands. “Peter. I would never, _ever_ hurt you like that.” He kissed Peter’s forehead. “Thank you for telling me.”

 

            Peter knew he loved Michael. He’d known from the beginning. The day he’d married him was one of the happiest of his life. Though he’d never admit it, Michael was everything Jason wasn’t-calm, quiet, peaceful. He showed his love differently than Jason had, and he was always very careful.

            The differences were what made Peter miss Jason most.

 

            _But forward is calling, and I cannot stay here._

“Peter!” Michael stood at the bathroom doorway. “Listen, handsome, are you okay? Is there something I can do to make you feel better?”

            Peter knew he could trust Michael. He knew Michael wouldn’t make his problem seem tiny or unimportant. Michael would hold him. Michael would whisper encouraging words in his ear. Michael would make everything seem all right.

            But Michael wouldn’t understand.

            “Seriously, I’m fine.” Peter brushed his husband off. “I’ll be ready to go in a half hour, I swear.”

            Michael bit his lip. “Peter…”

            “I promise.” Peter walked over to kiss Michael lightly on the lips.

           

            _Promise. Webster’s defines ‘promise’ as a declaration that something will or will not be done._

            The feeling wouldn’t last forever, he’d learned from experience. It wasn’t too hard to treat. He’d call Nadia when they got home, and they’d keep each other company. It was much easier, they agreed, to talk about Jason with somebody who’d known him.

           

            _Take a look in these big blue eyes so you’ll understand, and know why we whisper in the hallways ‘I’ll be with you always’_

Slowly, he stood up from his perch on the edge of the tub, and began to speak quietly.

            “Hey, Jason. How’s it going up there? Alright? You’ve missed a lot, you know. Nadia’s getting married soon. I know you don’t care about this stuff much, but seriously, you should see her in her dress.

            “Matt and Ivy are still dating, but neither of them will commit to anything. They say they want to be ‘sure’, but after five years, you’d think they’d know. Juliet agrees with me, of course, but she’s still under the impression that Matt’s her dad. Ivy will tell her when she’s ready, though. She’s a good mom like that.

            “Lucas is still evading prison. Sister Chantelle is still fighting for letting women be able to be priests. I don’t know why it’s taking this long. I’d be scared of her, if I were on the opposite side.

            “And me. Well, you know how my life is like. I feel you with me all the time. I haven’t mentioned it to any of our other friends, but I know you’re there. How could you not be?

            I really have to go, though. I’ve been moving slowly all morning, and I’m way behind schedule. I’ll talk to you again soon. Maybe even tonight, after I finish chatting with Nadia. You know, she talks to you like this, too.”  
            Peter dropped his voice. “Love you, Jason.”

           

            _Running together…Miss me._

“Oh, I do, Jason. I do.”

 

            _Forever you and I._


End file.
